Searsport Activity

It will be trucked from Searsport to Thomaston. The economics of a multi-rail move CPKC-CSXT-Midcoast would be ridiculous, not to mention the out of route miles. Truck wins this every time.

fromway wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 6:48 pm Looks like those improvements to the trackage at Searsport will be seeing some more action in the coming year. The owner of the cement plant in Thomaston that is closing down production has announced that they will be importing cement from Spain and then transport it to the what will now be a distribution center. It didn't say how they planned on making the transfer but it will be interesting. Maybe by CP and eventually to the distribution center out of Brunswick ME on theRocklland brqnch of the Coastal line. Only time will tell.

What improvements, lol? The line is still 10mph...

It's 40 miles by road... over 200 by rail, over three carriers. Not a chance a single bit of it goes by rail.... they already announced a week ago shipments by rail were pretty much done.

https://knox.villagesoup.com/news/drago ... 2_CQBvUKLU


What Brunswick facility are you talking about, lol? No such place exists.... They're going to do it out of the Thomaston plant as they've been doing.

https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/03 ... TKlOkgbXzI

The work at Searsport is solely for two wind projects. One in western Maine and another in downeast. By the sounds it wont be a massive amount of traffic. A unit train every few months.

NHV 669 wrote:What Brunswick facility are you talking about, lol? No such place exists.... They're going to do it out of the Thomaston plant as they've been doing.

Dragon I think still owns the cement plant in Brunswick, not that it pertains to this discussion. On top of producing cement mix, they had a few concrete plants in the area which closed probably 15+ years ago. They sold the one in Fairfield to Auburn Aggragates. As for the Brunswick plant, I imagine Dragon probably still owns it.

Where exactly is it? I couldn't find a Dragon location in Brunswick, let alone a trackside plant.

They do, but a lot of it is in the Western Cooridor or to Thunder Bay. Nothing will change out East as SJ is the primary terminal for Potash buts access only the CN side.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 12, 2024 7:00 am Where exactly is it? I couldn't find a Dragon location in Brunswick, let alone a trackside plant.

https://www.google.com/maps/@43.9075187 ... &entry=ttu

So a small, inactive property (with unmaintained weed growth taking over) without a siding that really isn't conducive to rail shipments to begin with... not sure why it was even mentioned.

NHV 669 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 9:50 am So a small, inactive property (with unmaintained weed growth taking over) without a siding that really isn't conducive to rail shipments to begin with... not sure why it was even mentioned.

I was just pointing out the fact that they do own a facility in Brunswick. Additionally, keep in mind the person who originally brought up the Brunswick site, probably hasn't been down that way since it closed. So I was just clarifying on the subject that they do have a facility there. Which with the plant in Thomaston, it sounds like for the distribution they will be using the existing silos but building a new unloading/loading and processing area.

Thanks for the clarification, my response was more directed at the other poster's idea of sending cars over a circuitous route to a facility that is clearly not set up to recieve them by rail, even if it were operational.

Railworks is currently working in Searsport reconfiguring the tracks for the windmill unloading. The tracks into the old Bunker C racks were removed and the new 115 LBS switch which was installed under CMQ was/is being removed, with the intention to use it up at Kyleton on the Moosehead.

Took a look yesterday, the spur to Sprauge has had some surfacing work done to it and Railworks is still working to make up for lost time due to the storms. The main line and track 2 have had a bunch of ties and ballast installed. Tracks 3 & 4 (not sure if those are the actual railroad numbers) which CP took out of service because they didn't meet their clearance rules, have also been rebuilt and realigned. Track 5 which had lighter rail and was oos since the MMA era was removed and will soon be rebuilt with heavier rail. Railworks is expected to finish by the end of May, after that 1-2 blade trains per month are expected.

I dropped off a boom lift for a rental company this morning at Irving, it looks like the trackwork in the yard is about done. They might still be dressing everything up with ballast, but other than regulating it out, the work appears to be done.

I was down in the area again today, most of the track equipment and dump trucks are gone now. It looks like Railworx is finishing up by fine tuning the ballast.